Chelsea have reportedly scheduled in a medical for the midfielder – but apparently so has another Premier League club
Chelsea have reportedly booked a medical for Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who already has one scheduled at Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 25-year-old had been due to travel to the Seagulls to undergo tests before Chelsea supposedly intervened and invited him to one. Journalist Fabrizio Romano says Leicester had already agreed to a swap deal with Brighton involving Jakub Moder, who agreed to the move.
However, Chelsea have thrown a spanner in the works, albeit a deal has not yet been agreed with Leicester, who saw boss Enzo Maresca leave for Stamford Bridge earlier this summer. Dewsbury-Hall registered 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 games for the Foxes last season.
He still has three years left on his Leicester deal, but the club may be forced to sell some of their players amid concerns over their position within Premier League cash-loss limits. It comes after reports on Thursday afternoon suggested that the 25-year-old was keen to reunite with Maresca and that Chelsea had enquired about signing the star – although no formal offer has arrived on Leicester’s doorstep.
While the star contemplates his future at his boyhood club, he has spoken about potentially leaving in favour of a Premier League rival at the end of their Championship-winning season last month, telling BBC Sport in an interview: “I have been here since I was a kid. I love everything about the club.
“I grew up and managed to play in the first team. I am happy. I have never said I am actively wanting to leave. That sort of stuff is not up to me. You never know with football – the season is about to start, so we will see.”
On Maresca, he added: “Enzo was an unbelievable manager. I genuinely see him becoming a top manager, so it wasn’t a surprise to see he was in demand. It is weird having to change a manager after being so successful, but that’s football.”
It’s said that if Dewsbury-Hall was to leave the King Power Stadium this summer, a switch to Chelsea would be the only real option in his eyes, despite rumours around a potential move to Old Trafford and Manchester United as their manager Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his own midfield following their FA Cup trophy lift last month.
Other clubs said to be in the running for the star include Thomas Frank’s Brentford, as well as Fulham and Arsenal who were both said to have Dewsbury-Hall on their radar back in the January transfer window. Chelsea added the Cottagers’ centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo to their squad as Maresca’s first signing following his arrival at Stamford Bridge, while deals for Marc Guiu and Lewis Kellyman are currently being finalised alongside Palmeiras forward Estevao Willian, who is set to arrive at Stamford Bridge next summer.
There are concerns about the club’s spending habits, with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSRs) constantly in the back of everyone’s minds following point deductions throughout last season. Now though, it remains to be seen what exciting turn this transfer saga will take – but Chelsea aren’t often the ones to lose out when it comes to business.